Livestock killings prompt warnings from officials

BY SANDY QUADROS BOWLES

AND PHYLLIS BOOTH

Two recent attacks on livestock in town — one apparently by a bear, the other by a bobcat — show that the predator population is increasing and steps should be taken to protect domestic animals, wildlife officials said.

These attacks, which took place within four days and six miles of each other, raised concerns in town and drew considerable attention.

In the first attack, a 200-pound sheep was taken from its pen, dragged into nearby woods about 100 to 300 feet away and torn apart, leaving a bloody mess in its wake. Four days later, a goat was killed in its enclosure, sparking fears that another bear attack had occurred.

This second attack was likely done by a bobcat, based on the cleanliness of the wounds and the fact that the carcass was left on site and not dragged away, said William J. Davis, central district manager of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

The first attack was probably the work of a bear, Davis said. It would be “almost impossible’’ for any other animal to have dragged such a large animal, he said. Dark hairs provided from the scene and the subsequent camera image of a bear around the carcass serve as further indication of a bear attack, he said.

As the bear population increases, such attacks will inevitably become more common, he said.

He urged livestock owners to take precautions, including keeping their animals in secure areas, especially at night. Electric fencing can serve as an effective deterrent, he said.

Receiving electrical shocks can be a “sharp reminder that they’re not welcome.’’

Bird feeders and spilled livestock feed can attract mice, which in turn can draw bobcats and other predators, he said. “You’re starting the food chain,’’ he said. “That can cause a problem for livestock owners.’’

Some have questioned whether the sheep could have been attacked by a mountain lion.

Davis replied that, although he would “never say never,’’ wildlife officials have seen no evidence that mountain lions are living in this area. The last confirmed sighting in Massachusetts was in 1868, he said.

It is “not beyond the realm of possibility over time’’ that mountain lions, which are currently living in Florida and in the western United States, could move into this area, he said.

Should that happen, wildlife specialists would work to manage the population as they do now with bear, bobcats, coyote and other predators, he said. “No one would want mountain lions to come back more than a wildlife biologist,’’ he said.